By Srinivasan Mohan

0

25-Jan-2013 10:19:00

The former Inter man has been linked with a move to the Spanish giants to cover for their injured talisman Iker Casillas. Goal.com analyses the positives of this potential move...

When Julio Cesar decided to move to Queens Park Rangers (QPR) from Italian powerhouse Internazionale, with all due respect to the English club, there were question marks over whether the 32-year old still had the hunger to win more trophies given that he had already won both, domestic and European honours in addition to the Club World Cup.

The former Inter man has been a figure of solidity at the back for the Hoops, who can thank their Brazilian signing for single-handedly keeping the scoreline away from often resembling a tennis score. Now with Rangers still a prime contender for relegation in the Premier League, losing Cesar would only add to their woes given that there has been an interest in him from the richest club in the world today.

Real Madrid are rumuored to be on the lookout for another world class keeper in the absence of their captain Iker Casillas, who has been ruled out for almost two months with a fractured finger.

Goal.com lists down the reasons, as to why, signing the Brazilian on loan, will be an ideal move for Los Blancos.

DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Iker Casillas has been a permanent name in the Real Madrid team sheet for the past decade or so. The 31-year old has been with Los Blancos since 1990 coming through the youth ranks and establishing himself as one of the top keepers in the world. Now replacing such an integral member of the team will no doubt be difficult, especially in the middle of a campaign in which Real Madrid have flattered to deceive.

Julio Cesar is someone who may not be in the same mould as 'Saint Iker', but offers plenty of European and International experience. He is a treble winner with Inter and has been recalled to the Brazilian national team yet again, which only proves that he still has the goods to perform at the top level of European football.

Cesar brings plenty of European and International pedigree

With Real Madrid playing Manchester United in the Round of 16 in the Champions League, they can be sure of the goal being peppered with shots from an attack that boasts of Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez and would need a top notch keeper to keep them at bay.

Rumours of player-manager hostility and fans showing their displeasure over performances have only added pressure on manager Jose Mourinho whose best hope of remaining with the 9-time European champions is to win the Champions League.

ONE OF MOURINHO'S TRUSTED LIEUTENANTS

A feature of any of Jose Mourinho's sides is his ability to build a team around a spine that is: a goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and a striker. At Chelsea, Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba were regular features in the champion side. At Inter, it was Julio Cesar, Javier Zanetti/Lucio, Wesley Sneijder and Diego Milito who formed a formidable backbone to an all dominating Nerazzurri team.

Mourinho has done the same at Real Madrid too, but now that he does not have the services of his captain Casillas, it is logical that he turns to someone he considers to be one of his most faithful players.

Cesar was a vital cog in Mourinho's title winning team at Inter

When 'The Special One' left Chelsea, Didier Drogba told in no subtle way that he did not feel like playing without Mourinho. Frank Lampard was linked with a move to Inter once Mourinho took charge at Italy.

Not to forget that Ricardo Carvalho was one of the first names to have joined the Spanish capital after Mourinho took over. Over the summer, he added Michael Essien to the roster on a season-long loan deal.

Julio Cesar, if the move materialises, will be playing under a manager with whom he has won Europe's top prize, something which he was unable to do under Roberto Mancini in his time at Inter. He will no doubt be familiar with the responsibility that comes with being in a Mourinho team and will do all in his power to live up to the manager's faith in him.

BEACON OF LIGHT IN A POOR RANGERS SIDE

If there is one reason why QPR can still entertain hopes of avoiding relegation, it is their keeper Julio Cesar. The Brazilian was at hand to make some truly stunning saves to keep his side in the hunt during games. The 33-year old is a far cry from the instability that was associated with Robert Green in the Hoops goal. He brought experience and calm to an otherwise chaotic Rangers backline.

With Rangers being extremely busy in the transfer market by snatching Loic Remy from under the noses of Newcastle United and linked with a host of other names, they mean serious business in their bid to stay in the Premier League next season.

The Brazilian has produced some top quality stops to save QPR's blushes

One position they will not look to change is that of their keeper who has served them so well so far. Manager Harry Redknapp knows the value of having an experienced keeper having worked with Shaka Hislop at Portsmouth and Brad Friedel at Spurs, both of whom played into their 40's.

However, Cesar will no doubt have an eye on events at Madrid, with manager Jose Mourinho allegedly issuing a silent call to his former keeper to help bail his team out. For Cesar, it will be a chance to play for one of the world's most formidable sides and would mean a return to European competition, something he rightfully deserves given his caliber.

GOOD RECORD AGAINST BARCELONA

In the 2011-12 season, Real Madrid achieved under Jose Mourinho what many former managers could not do, break Barcelona's dominance on La Liga. The highlight of the previous season would have been the away victory at the Nou Camp which more or less ensured that the league title would go to Madrid after a gap of nearly 4 years.

Jose Mourinho is one of the few managers who can boast of getting the better of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, something many top clubs in Europe have been unable to do. Manchester United tried twice but ended up getting a lesson on possession football. Arsenal went toe-to-toe with the Catalans whenever they met at the Emirates, but were brought down to earth in the return legs at the Camp Nou.

Cesar knows the feeling of beating Barcelona

Mourinho's treble-winning Inter side of 2009 were firm favourites for the Champions League the moment they beat Barcelona 3-1 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at the San Siro. It was a performance of champions as the Nerazzurri came back from a goal down to take a two goal advantage to Spain. Though Inter lost the second leg 1-0 after Thiago Motta was controversially sent-off, they went through on aggregate by showing a doggedness which is typical of a Mourinho managed team.

In this memorable victory over Barcelona, Julio Cesar was the Inter custodian as he denied the likes of Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from scoring. In addition Cesar has a good record when it comes to saving spot-kicks, which will be an added advantage given that the los blancos made an exit from the Champions League last season after losing to Bayern on penalties, and is extremely good at one-on-one situations. The former Inter man will bring a near Casillas like presence to the Real Madrid backline which will be a headache less for Jose Mourinho.

ADAN IS STILL NOT YET 'NUMERO UNO' MATERIAL

Critics can argue that Casillas' injury would be an ideal opportunity for reserve goalkeeper Antonio Adan to step up to the plate and make his mark on the Real Madrid team. They do have a point that Iker Casillas too made his first team debut at the age of 17 and was the youngest goalkeeper to play in a Champions League final in 2000.

Adan will have to wait for his moment of glory

Adan is now 25-years old and would be ideally placed to step into Casillas' giant shoes, but Mourinho isn't one who is prone to experimenting, especially at this stage of the season where the Champions League is the only trophy that would keep him at the Bernabeu next season. Yes, Adan has been preferred on occasions by Mourinho but one would doubt if he would have done so against the likes of Manchester United or Barcelona.

Julio Cesar would be a shrewd acquisition and short term solution to Casillas' absence from Real Madrid's campaign. Adan is still 25 and would no doubt get his opportunity very soon, but unfortunately for him the time isn't now.

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